a hoarse is a hoarse, of course, of course, and no one can talk to a hoarse, of course

With any luck, our computer at home will be fully functional again on Friday. Mike spent the evening yesterday on the phone with Dell trying to find out what was wrong with the computer. After going through the issues with the Dell technician, who decided he needed a part shipped, he found out he accidentally called the Canadian service number and had to hang up and start at the beginning again with the US service phone number. He went through it all again, and it turns out our graphics card is kaput. To use the technical term. But they have to replace the entire motherboard, because it's all contained within that these days. Look at me throwing around these computer words like I know what they mean.

In order to replace the motherboard, the entire computer has to be taken apart. Which means a Dell technician has to come over and fix it. We are familiar with Dell technicians, since Mike's old Dell laptop was on its VERY LAST legs in his last year of law school. It broke every couple of weeks and we were getting to know the Dell technicians in Manhattan by name. They would call us, ask when a good time would be to stop by, and come on over at that time. It was pretty convenient.

Apparently, now that we are SO FAR OUT in the wilderness away from the city (an entire 5 minute train ride away in Jersey), things work a little differently. The Dell people left me a message this morning to set up a time to install the part. I have to be the one to do this, since Mike works long hours and can never count on being able to leave the office at a specific time. I called them back and gave the lady my service identification number and asked to set up a time to have the part installed.

However, I had to go through this no less than three times before she understood exactly who I was and what I wanted, since, just to make this extra fun, I have lost my voice. About 75% of the time I just sound like I'm whispering, and the other 25% of the time, my voice is going wildly up and down, between disappearing entirely and occasionally kicking in with this deep man-voice.

When she finally had my information, she cheerfully announced that the Dell technician would show up at my house sometime between 9am and 5:30pm tomorrow! Thanks for calling Dell!

I tried to say something along the lines of, "I'm sorry, but that won't work for me, since my boss doesn't like it when I blow off work to wait 9 hours for your technician to roll out of bed and show up at my house," but what came out was essentially a long wheezing sound.

It is not satisfying to express your displeasure with ridiculous business practices when you CANNOT FORM WORDS.

I finally got my point across that no, I have a job and cannot wait for you all day, and her solution was to act very disappointed in me and reluctantly narrow that window to only four hours on Friday afternoon, instead of 9 hours on Thursday.

I took it. What was I going to do, wheeze at her some more? I guess it could be worse. I'll get out of work early on Friday afternoon and work from home for a few hours while I wait for them. And at least we'll have our computer working.

But I really, really need my voice back. I am actually feeling much better today, it's just that I sound RIDICULOUS. This is getting old, fast.